Cherie Fresonke

AUTHOR. SPEAKER. TEACHER.

Word Weaver Transforming Lives

Expect to be Changed

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Have you ever spent one day—or even one moment—in the presence of God? If you have, then your soul will yearn to be there again. Yet so many times we miss out. We get caught up in the cares of the world and before we know it, we leave His presence. Listen to what the psalmist penned.

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. —Psalm 84:2

Well, it was one of those weeks for me—a week when I yearned to hear the voice of the Lord. There were so many decisions to make, so many answers to seek, yet I felt disconnected. Have you ever felt like that? It was then, as I was seeking and reading my morning devotions that Ezekiel 43:5 jumped off the page.

Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

What an amazing place to be! Which also reminds me of a chapter in a couple of my books (see below) which uses the Tabernacle as a visual picture of the intimate relationship that God desires to have with us. You see, many times when studying God’s Word, you will see that God speaks to His people with pictures and parables so that they can picture the spiritual lesson He desires to teach. Therefore, we can use the Tabernacle as a visual picture to show us where our hearts are spiritually concerning our relationship with God.

I don’t have time, in this blog, to share the whole chapter with you but basically it comes down to something I learned from Kay Smith. In her study “Dwelling in the Holy of Holies,” she states that there are three types of believers in regards to where they live spiritually. We can draw this picture of the three types of believers by relating them to the Tabernacle.[i]

With this in mind, let me explained about the three types of believers:

 

  • Outer Court Believer—You are saved, but that’s it! You have received the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for you. You are washed clean from your sins, but you are missing out on all that God has for you.
  • Holy Place Believer—You spend time reading God’s Word and praying. However, you are still missing the most important aspect of your relationship with God: intimacy. Because of this, there is no lasting contentment in your life. You continue to run after this or that to find satisfaction and pleasure. You don’t look to God to be your all and all.
  • Holy of Holies Believer—You desire to know God intimately. You realize that sin breaks fellowship with Him, and because of this, you search your heart daily to make sure that there is no offensive way in you. You desire to be all that God intends for you to be. Your life has purpose and meaning along with lasting peace and contentment.

 

Which are you? Is this where you desire to be? If not, what can you do to become a Holy of Holies Believer and spend time in the inner court with God?

I know for me that whenever I feel disconnected from Him somehow I left the Holy of Holies in my relationship with Him. It wasn’t God who moved—it was me! And it is me who must decide and desire to have that intimate relationship with God restored! Therefore, since I know that it is usually sin within my heart that is breaking my fellowship with God, I must take the time to set at His feet and ask Him to search my heart. Psalm 139:23-24 must become a way of life.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Whenever I truly give God permission to search my heart He has always been faithful to show me where I made the wrong turn—the turn that took me out of the Holy of Holies. But what is wonderful about all this is—the moment that I confess my sin to Him He lifts me up and brings me into the inner court and He fills the temple of my heart with His glory. That’s when Ezekiel 43:5 becomes real for me.

Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

And it is where I want to spend every day of my life. In fact, it is what my heart yearns for.

Where have you been dwelling lately? Is this where you desire to be? If not, what can you do to become a Holy of Holies Believer? I’m looking forward to your comments. God bless!

The chapter is found in three of my books–Go in Peace, Go in Peace for Teens and the Go in Peace Biblical Discipleship Curriculum. All are available for purchase on our webpage http://www.sunflowerpress.net/resources.html

 

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[i] Kay Smith, “Dwelling in the Holy of Holies” (Santa Ana, CA: The Word for Today, 2003), lecture on CD.

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